The ZS6BKW antenna is a better match for our bands than the G5RV. The method of construction and tuning is essentially the same for both antennas but the dimensions are different.
Here is the ZS6BKW antenna installed at AK6R fine tuned for the CW/FT8 frequencies on 40-20-17-12-10 meters. An excellent antenna when installed at 30 feet or higher and no tuner required avoiding the tuner losses and constant retuning. If you want to work all bands from 80-10 install an antenna tuner between the 1:1 balun and the amplifier and ignore the 39/40 switch.
Is this the best FT8 antenna? – I think so as I has made over 70,000 contacts and it still is a proven winner -Good world wide DX, easy to install, no tuner and takes full legal limit.
Here are several different 1:1 baluns you can use depending on power requirements:
The PAL-OCF4010 covers 40-30-20-17-15-12-10 and 6 meters in a length of 66 feet. In most cases, no antenna tuner is needed and switching bands is as easy as changing the band on the radio. Super convenient and quick – great for contest operation! Choose 500, 1500 or 5000 watts PEP power levels.
Uses hybrid balun containing wide band 4:1 transformer + 1:1 common mode feed line choke to keep all your power on the antenna and off the feed line coax outer conductor!
Unlike Buckmaster OCF antennas (at twice the price, and no WARC band or 15 Meter operation), you can transmit and receive on 6, 12, 15 and 17 meters with our OCF - Better engineering and lower price - only from Palomar Engineers!
Also much quieter than end fed antennas!
INSTALLATION
For best results support balun at 30+ feet and ends over 15 feet. Angle of feed each side must be great than 45 degrees or 120 – 180 degrees total between each side preferred. Any length of 50 ohm feed line ok but longer feed lines over 50 feet may show reduced SWR on some bands due to losses in feed line and soil conductivity, nearby objects, etc. Due to local ground conditions, antenna height and feed line length, SWR may vary from samples shown and an internal or external antenna tuner may be required or some bands to bring SWR at end of feed line to acceptable levels. Overall length is 66 feet (11 feet and 55 feet sides).
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NEED and END FED antenna covering the same bands and only requiring two supports rather than three? Check out the BULLET-4006
Here is the Coax Noise Filter used to suppress coax common mode currents (works for all type of antennas)
PDF of ZS6BKW at AK6R Construction Article HERE: My ZS6BKW Antenna